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Magazine

BEGINNING | One Last Thought: A Chinese New Year State of Mind

January is a month to embrace, a time to push the reset button and resolve to start something new. In this spirit of the New Year, we devoted our latest Magazine issue — The New York Beginning State of Mind — to foundings, revivals and firsts:

  • Foundings: We introduced you to small business owners, entrepreneurs and farmers who have started their own companies and initiatives;
  • Revivals: We highlighted a handful of refurbished spaces across the State that are breathing new life into underserved neighborhoods; and,
  • Firsts: We marveled at the stories of pioneers and inventors.
And that’s not all. As we wrap up the start of 2014, there’s one more beginning to celebrate; in fact, it’s another new year. Today, January 31, marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year (the Year of the Horse), which kicks off with a feast — and a clean house. By tradition, Chinese thoroughly sweep their homes to clear away the hardships of the previous year and make way for incoming good luck. They bedeck windows and doors with red paper cut-outs and calligraphed signs to symbolize happiness and good fortune. And they close out their weeks-long celebration with BIG public parties.

Here’s a look at a handful of Chinese New Year celebrations across New York State, guaranteed to put you in a beginning state of mind:

TODAY:

Sunday, February 2:

  • Institutions in major cities across New York State — including NYC’s Chinatown, Buffalo’s Confucius Institute, and Albany’s Landmark Theatre — are hosting Lunar New Year celebrations complete with live music involving traditional Chinese instruments, dance and martial arts performances, and dragon-filled parades. Each event is free and open to the public. (And don’t worry, they all end by mid-afternoon so you’ll have plenty of time to make it to your Super Bowl party.)

Saturday, February 8:

  • If you’re in Manhattan, head to the Metropolitan Museum of Art between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. for the New York Chinese Cultural Center’s 27th Lunar New Year Celebration. Free with museum admission, the event includes a variety of dances (from costumed folk to red ribbon to traditional sword), as well as hands-on arts and crafts demonstrations. (If you miss this event, you’ll have a second chance to see it at Staten Island’s Snug Harbor Cultural Center on Sunday, February 9 for $10.

  • Flushing, Queens’ Chinese and East Asian populations rival those of Manhattan’s Chinatown, and its Chinese New Year celebration is not to be missed. The 18th Annual Lunar New Year Parade will include upwards of 4,000 marchers. There will also be dragon dancers, steel drummers and fireworks. The festivities begin at 10 a.m.

The Chinese New Year is all about hope, and looking ahead to a year of happiness — no wonder it’s the Chinese’s most important holiday. And let’s face it, starting the new year anticipating good fortune and joy is a lot more meaningful than resolving to go on a diet. We’re embracing the Lunar New Year traditions by resetting our outlook for 2014, and can’t wait to see what’s in store. (Oh and remember, this is the Year of the Horse. So celebrate that, NYSOM-style.)

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The New York BEGINNING State of Mind:

A Recap

The January Issue: Getting Things (Re)Started

NYSOM’s Editor in Chief Christine Murphy introduced our New York Beginning State of Mind.

The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship (Bracelet)

We learned about the serendipitous start to Frieda and Nellie, an NYC-based jewelry company that specializes in one-of-a-kind friendship bracelets and repurposed vintage wares.

A Revolution in the School Cafeteria

We highlighted a brand-new program in the Hudson Valley that is bringing fresh, local milk to schools in the region — effectually fostering healthy eating habits in children and bolstering the area's agricultural economy.

NYSOM Girls’ Travel Guide: Sharon Springs

We encouraged you to visit one of our favorite cozy villages in Central New York: Sharon Springs.

Barn (Re)Raising: Nettle Meadow Farm

We went behind-the-scenes of Nettle Meadow, an Adirondack-based farm, to learn about their “Esquire” magazine-named Cheese of the Week, and the once dilapidated barn that recently got a much-needed facelift.

Restorative Meals in Restored Locale: Buffalo’s Sweet_ness 7 Cafe

We kicked off week two with a look at Sweet_ness 7, a Western New York-based cafe that has revitalized Buffalo’s West Side.

When Farming Became Fabulous: Meet the Beekman Boys

We met Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, “Amazing Race” winners and stars of “The Fabulous Beekman Boys,” who left NYC for CNY to turn an historic mansion into a goat farm and Martha Stewart-approved lifestyle brand.

Blank Canvas for Living and Creating: The Albany Barn

We visited the newly-renovated Albany Barn, built from a once-abandoned school that gives local artists an affordable place to work and live, and is reviving an historic neighborhood.

A Small Business Cohort Grows in Brooklyn

We toured Brooklyn’s Pfizer building to see how the former pill-producing facility is giving new small-batch businesses a place to grow and thrive.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service: Monday, Jan. 20

We rounded up a handful of ways to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. across New York State, turning a “day off” to a “day on.”

Henry Cooper’s Town

We spent a summer weekend hanging with Mr. Cooper — Henry Cooper, that is, whose ancestors founded Central New York’s Cooperstown. Today, Mr. Cooper is involved with Otsego 2000, a group that works tirelessly to preserve the historic landscape of the town and Otsego Lake.

Fake It ‘Til You Make It: Hunter Mountain’s First ‘Snow’

We plowed into the innovative history of the Catskills’ Hunter Mountain, where its founders created the first artificial snow machine (which saved the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid), and keeps its peaks “freshly” powdered today.

America’s First Pilot Was A New Yorker

We navigated through the inventive past of Hammondsport’s Glenn Curtiss, the Father of Naval Aviation who earned the first ever U.S. Pilot’s License.

The End is Also the Beginning: Montauk Point Lighthouse

We visited Montauk Lighthouse at the end of Long Island, learning that — to those who keep its more than 200-year-old legacy going — it’s also the beginning.

Stepping Into the Spotlight: East End Arts

We saw how the East End Arts Council of Long Island is developing the next generation of artists with community events, art programs and more.

The Best New York Museums Outside of NYC

We picked some of the #1 museums across New York State.

Hudson Valley's Grandest Estates and Their Lavish Owners

We marveled at the first grand estates in the Hudson Valley, and the eclectic personalities who had grandiose architectural dreams.

A Chinese New Year State of Mind

We cleaned house for a new year — and new issue. Tune in next week for the New York Cozy State of Mind.

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